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Jongrath was primarily a miller and could operate and repair his mill with only the help of draft animals, although he had to hire stonemasons to make grinding wheels. He was experienced in animal husbandry and kept livestock. In his spare time, he liked to design and paint heraldic devices and would adorn shields, coach doors, and other non-fabric equipment for a few gold coins.[1]

Ilmurk owned Jongrath's Mill and the adjoining cottage, stables, and the surrounding land. He kept livestock and had heavy draft horses that turned the mill and pumped water from a deep well. He built up a cache of spare millstones and cogwheels that he kept hidden under flour sacks after claiming they were broken.[1] His coinage was kept on the property in abandoned dry wells in long, narrow coin boxes suspended from cords attached to the rim of the well. All but one of these stashes were covered by heavy, used millstones. The one cache he kept "handy" was covered by a flat stone and his compost heap.[2]

At any given time, Ilmurk had freshly painted shields and escutcheons hanging to dry in the rafters of the stable.[2] He was known to keep the items he painted until customers came to pick them up, or until they could pay for it. He had a number of unclaimed items.[3]

Jongrath ground grain into flour for the farmers in the surrounding countryside. He sold livestock and the surplus flour. He slept in the mill shed and rented the cottage out to traveling merchants. He enjoyed designing and painting heraldic devices for various nobles of Tethyr.[1]

Jongrath's heraldic side business drew the ire of two low-level local Heralds, Chastus Beldrorn of Darromar and Aldrur Hariburt of Myratma. They claimed that proper blazonry required professional expertise and his amateur efforts were an affront to their organization, not to mention that his prices were absurdly low compared to "professional" rates. Ilmurk acknowledged their expertise but not their claim of exclusive rights to create coats of arms for armigerous folks. His designs were relatively simple and he followed the Law of Arms without deviation or error, so the two heralds had no truly legal claim against him, despite their best efforts to have Ilmurk fined, arrested, and censured.[3]

Not only did Jongrath have the letter of the law on his side (actually, it was the absence of any law against his practice), but Lady Marilyn Haresdown, the Duchess of the Purple Marches, found Jongrath amusing and sometimes stayed at his cottage in disguise while on hawking expeditions. Even King Haedrak Rhindaun III did not take the aspersions by the petty heralds seriously. Upon receiving a letter of complaint from Jongrath, he reportedly replied "tell the good miller that I've every confidence in him and shall continue to do so until I personally find evidence otherwise."[3]

It was rumored that Ilmurk Jongrath was in possession of a powerful magical shield that had belonged to a cleric who fell in battle before returning to claim her newly decorated property. Jongrath hid the shield well and awaits for her return.[3]